September 14, 2022 Participate in Early Childhood Wage Survey Trying Together’s statewide partners — Children First and Reinvestment Fund with Start Strong PA — are conducting a survey to determine the wages of early childhood educators across Pennsylvania. Child Wage Survey Providers of early childhood education have struggled with low wages for some time. These unlivable wages have contributed to the current staffing shortages affecting the entire profession. In order to effectively advocate on behalf of educators, legislators need to know the current wages that early childhood professionals are being paid in real time. To effectively gather this information, teachers in early childhood classrooms are encouraged to participate in this ongoing wage survey. Information will be confidential and any data collected will only be reported in the aggregate. Participants will also have the option to enter a drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card. Please direct all questions to Mai Miksic, maim@childrenfirstpa.org, early childhood education policy director at Children First.
April 14, 2022 March 2022 Child Care Staffing Survey Results A survey conducted by partners of the Start Strong PA Campaign quantifies Pennsylvania’s current child care staffing crisis — caused by low wages. Survey Results The survey — conducted between March 8, 2022 and April 3, 2022 — details the current child care staffing crisis in 1,163 Pennsylvania child care programs across 63 counties and its effects on working families’ ability to access care. According to the survey: Nearly 32,500 children currently sit on waiting lists. More than 30,000 additional children could be served at respondents’ sites if they were fully staffed. 91% of respondents reported staffing shortages. Programs need to fill nearly 7,000 open child care positions. 48% of respondents have closed at least one classroom. In September 2021, Start Strong PA released a similar survey showing that Pennsylvania’s child care centers were experiencing a staffing shortage resulting in more than 25,000 children sitting on waiting lists. In just six months, the waiting list numbers have increased by nearly 10,000 children with 169 fewer providers reporting. The following fact sheets are available with statewide and county results: Statewide results Allegheny Armstrong Beaver Butler Fayette Indiana Lawrence Washington Westmoreland Petition Advocates are calling on the General Assembly and the Wolf Administration to “Raise Child Care” by allocating $115 million in sustainable state and/or federal funds as part of the final state budget to provide a $2 per hour wage supplement for child care teachers and staff. Start Strong PA is asking for your signature in support the investment to child care providers. More Information To learn more about the survey and petition, visit the Start Strong PA website.
March 9, 2022 March 2022 PA Child Care Staffing Crisis Survey The Start Strong PA campaign is collecting information from child care program owners and directors via a brief survey to help tell the story of Pennsylvania’s on-going child care staffing crisis. (This article was updated on March 31, 2022 to reflect a deadline extension). Take the Survey The campaign will use survey results to demonstrate the urgent need for increased child care funding in the 2022-2023 state budget and to urge congressional delegation to support long-term, substantial investments in the early care and education sector to strengthen and secure the industry. Directors and owners who complete the survey by Sunday, April 3, 2022 will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card. Start Strong PA will award two gift cards. Take the March 2022 PA Child Care Staffing Crisis Survey. Start Strong PA conducted a similar survey between August 30, 2021 and September 8, 2021. View the results of that survey.
March 1, 2022 Apply: PA ECE Provider Advisory Board The Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Campaigns are seeking out early childhood professionals to apply to participate as a lead advocate in their region by serving on the first statewide Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Provider Advisory Board. About the Provider Advisory Board The advisory board will be composed of 30 early childhood professionals from across the state, working in diverse roles in all setting types. Participants will have: an opportunity to elevate the voices of early childhood professionals by providing the field’s professionals with a consistent platform for policy updates and advocacy opportunities; a space to identify the diverse needs of the early childhood workforce through a consistent feedback loop of what they are experiencing in the field; free access to consistent advocacy related professional development, leadership development, and growth opportunities; a chance to create equity driven strategies and connect practice to inform policy recommendations that support the needs of all providers, children, and families in Pennsylvania; and opportunities to strengthen connections with community partners. The advisory board will meet virtually once a month beginning in April 2022. All participants will be compensated for their time. Apply The application period will be from March 1 to March 28, 2022. Providers can apply online. Applicants will be notified of their application status via email the first week of April. Share this flyer with your networks.
February 10, 2022 2022-23 Pennsylvania Budget Proposal Response On February 8, 2022, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf released the 2022-23 state budget proposal. The principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates focused on supporting young Pennsylvanians from birth to age five, are pleased with proposed investments in pre-k, evidence-based home visiting, and perinatal and child health. However, the proposal fails to adequately invest in child care. ELPA operates four issue-based advocacy campaigns: Pre-K for PA, Start Strong PA, Childhood Begins at Home, and Thriving PA. Governor Wolf’s state budget proposal included: Pre-k $60 million in additional funding for the state’s Pre-K Counts program. $10 million in additional funding for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program. Together, this $70 million expansion could serve approximately 2,300 additional young children. In a press release, ELPA states, “This funding continues the Commonwealth’s tradition and Governor Wolf’s unwavering commitment of expanding access to high-quality pre-k. This $70 million proposed expansion could provide this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to more than 2,300 additional young learners. “Research shows that high-quality pre-k benefits children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development and confirms the Commonwealth’s investment in pre-k pays dividends for the children fortunate enough to access it. This investment is not only essential for our children, but high-quality early education supports labor force participation, healthy families, and a globally competitive workforce of the future. By increasing pre-k access and opening the door to more families, our economic recovery reaps the benefits.” Child Care Level funding for the state Child Care Assistance and Child Care Services line items. $77.7 million in federal funding to sustain child care subsidy base rates. $44.3 million in federal funding to sustain the reduction in out-of-pocket family co-payments. $6.1 million in federal child care funding to sustain the incentive for providing non-traditional hour care. $30 million in state funding to provide state employees with increased access to and affordability of child care through the Department of General Services. “The Wolf Administration’s budget proposal is an inadequate response to the current child care crisis and misses an important opportunity to help working families in search of affordable high-quality care,” ELPA representatives stated. “Furthermore, failure to fully stabilize the child care sector jeopardizes the efforts of Pennsylvania businesses trying to rehire their labor force. Child care programs are closing classrooms and entire facilities due to teacher and staff shortages. Child care staff are overworked and underpaid with the average child care teacher making less than $11 per hour.” While the budget proposal does utilize federal funds, ELPA believes it is not sufficient in light of flat funding for Pennsylvania’s Child Care Services and Child Care Assistance line items for the third consecutive year. Start Strong PA is urging state policymakers to allocate a portion of the projected year-end surplus of $2.8 billion to address staff recruitment and retention, and increase access to quality care for working families, specifically for infants and toddlers. Home Visiting $15 million in additional funding for evidence-based home visiting in the Community-Based Family Center line item (this will serve an additional 3,800 pregnant women, children, and families), as well as $8 million in one-time federal stimulus funds specified for home visiting. “Following two years of level funding, the [Childhood Begins at Home] campaign is pleased to see Governor Wolf’s proposed investment restarts his commitment to increasing service levels beyond the 5% of Pennsylvania families currently served,” ELPA stated. Perinatal and Child Health Funding allocated for postpartum coverage extension for women in Medicaid from 60 days to 12 months. $11.5 million in increased funding for the Early Intervention Part C (infant and toddler) program through DHS, with $1.2 million allocated for children eligible for tracking when their mothers have a positive screen for postpartum depression or anxiety. Level-funding for the Part B Early Intervention program (age three to five) offered through PDE. ELPA stated, “Medicaid is a significant source of insurance for Pennsylvania women and birthing individuals— especially for women of color— so expanding coverage to a full year postpartum is a vital step towards closing racial and health disparities. “Additionally, we must ensure all children from birth through age five with developmental delays are identified, referred to, and accepted for the services they need to reach their fullest potential.” More Information Read ELPA’s full budget response statement for details. The Pittsburgh-based early childhood nonprofit Trying Together and other partners of ELPA will continue to advocate for these investments as the budget process continues. Stay up-to-date on how to advocate for these issues by signing-up to support Trying Together’s public policy agenda.
February 8, 2022 Early Childhood Education in Pennsylvania – Barriers & Opportunities Join Teach Plus PA and Start Strong PA on February 23 at 5 p.m. to learn from an engaging panel of early childhood educators, policy experts and advocates. The panel will discuss: How does high-quality early childhood education connect to educational equity? What are the barriers to accessible, high-quality child care and pre-k in PA? What policy solutions can overcome these barriers? What role can federal and state policymakers play in finding solutions? Register online.
January 7, 2022 Participate in the Child Care and Pre-K Voter Project With important upcoming elections in Pennsylvania, early childhood educators are invited to participate in a voter project to ensure that people running for office know and act on the issues that face everyone in early learning. About the Child Care and Pre-K Voter Project Through the Child Care and Pre-K Voter Project, early childhood educators will be provided with: Weekly online communication to help them educate their families and have them become part of a child care and pre-k voter online community Resources to learn more about how politicians and policies affect the child care and pre-k industry via brief, monthly Zoom webinars “Be a child care and Pre-K voter!” signage for their center/program (optional) T-shirts for families (one adult, one child size) who sign up for the campaign through their communication $100 incentive for providers’ participation Participate Help elevate issues facing early learning to the people running for political office in 2022 and sign up to participate in the Child Care and Pre-K Voter Project! More Information Want to learn more? Email Kyle McMillen at Children First for more details!
September 30, 2021 Working Together for Child Care in 2021 Join Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA Partners to discuss child care and pre-k state budget advocacy and federal opportunities. Event Details Tuesday, October 12 11 a.m. | Register for the Zoom webinar Topics include: state budget advocacy for pre-k and child care federal pandemic relief opportunities for child care new federal early childhood education proposals Speakers will include: Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children Pennsylvania Child Care Association Pennsylvania Head Start Association First Up: Champions for Early Education Trying Together
June 28, 2021 Early Learning Pennsylvania Response to 2021-22 State Budget The principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates focused on supporting young Pennsylvanians from birth to age five, believes the Commonwealth’s economic recovery hinges on helping working families by prioritizing greater state investments in high-quality pre-k, child care and evidence-based home visiting. ELPA operates four issue-based advocacy campaigns: Pre-K for PA, Start Strong PA, Childhood Begins at Home, and Thriving PA. Reaction statements from three of these campaigns regarding the FY 2021-22 state budget follow: Pre-K “Pre-K for PA applauds the $25 million in new state funding for Pre-K Counts and $5 million for Head Start Supplemental Assistance as part of the 2021-22 PA State Budget. This funding continues the commonwealth’s tradition of expanding access to high-quality pre-k – providing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to more than 3,200 additional young learners. “Research shows that high-quality pre-k benefits children’s cognitive, social and emotional development. A new study by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill confirmed that the commonwealth’s investment in pre-k pays dividends for the children fortunate enough to access pre-k through the Pre-K Counts program. In language and math skills, the study showed that these kids outperformed their kindergarten peers who did not enjoy access—an advantage that equated to four to five months of learning gains. Even with this budget increase, more than 100,000 eligible three- and four-year-olds still lack access to high-quality pre-k.” Child Care “The General Assembly and the Wolf Administration unfortunately missed the opportunity to prioritize families who are struggling to return to work. Ignoring recommendations developed with input from over 1,000 child care providers and parents, Pennsylvania’s elected leadership has fallen significantly short on ensuring American Rescue Plan child care funds are used to help families find and afford high-quality child care and to stabilize the industry. “Given that 70% of Pennsylvania children under the age of five had all adults in their household in the labor force prior to the pandemic, high-quality child care is an essential workforce support. That workforce must be able to return to work for Pennsylvania to recover from the pandemic’s economic devastation. “We now call on the Wolf Administration to prioritize and implement our recommendations for Pennsylvania’s $1.2 billion in American Rescue Plan child care funding. With nearly 700 child care programs permanently closed and over 350 temporarily closed, families are struggling to find child care. Those child care providers that have managed to stay open are still incurring additional pandemic-related costs while operating significantly under capacity and are struggling to attract and retain teachers. “Not only is there less child care capacity in the system, only 42% of certified child care capacity currently meets high-quality standards. And only 39% of infants and toddlers that receive subsidized care attend programs that have met high-quality standards. High-quality care and education mean safer, healthier children and are critical to maximizing the period of a child’s most rapid brain growth. “Start Strong PA’s recommendations for American Rescue Plan child care funding will stabilize, strengthen and ultimately secure the child care industry. This industry is critical to the success of our economic recovery.” Evidence-Based Home Visiting “On behalf of the pregnant women, children, and families who would benefit the most from evidence-based home visiting – especially those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic – Childhood Begins at Home is dismayed that there is no increase in the state budget for these voluntary services backed by decades of research. “Without funding increases to reach more Pennsylvania families, the unmet need remains at a staggering 95%. The Community-Based Family Centers line will be level-funded, and the Nurse-Family Partnership line will receive a minimal increase to restore the line to its prior level due to a slight reduction resulting from the state using enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funding last year. “Throughout budget negotiations, policymakers emphasized the infusion of federal stimulus dollars to inform state spending decisions. Of the total amount of one-time state funds Pennsylvania received from the American Rescue Plan ($7.3 billion), home visiting gets less than .02% (or a paltry $1.3 million) through the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program. This funding has yet to be distributed to programs that received no aid during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is limited in its use and timeframe to spend these dollars. “Only pennies on the dollar for evidence-based home visiting are coming in federally. It adds insult to injury that policymakers in the legislative and administrative branches did not step up and recognize constituents would benefit from the same services that have been a lifeline for so many during the last 15 months. “While states’ use of the ARP funds is flexible, the federal stimulus funding for evidence-based home visiting would not even reach one family in each of Pennsylvania’s 253 legislative districts. “From birth to age five, brain growth is rapid, learning is happening, and our coalition of advocates is committed to ensuring that families can access it in high-quality, developmentally appropriate settings. In Pennsylvania, funding has not been prioritized to ensure the resources are there to offer these irreplaceable opportunities, creating deep inequity among children and their families at a very early age. We, and our tens of thousands of supporters, will continue to urge lawmakers to invest in early learning boldly – it is an urgent necessity.” About Early Learning Pennsylvania Initiatives Pre-K for PA launched in 2014 with the vision that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania will have access to high-quality pre-k. Learn more on the Pre-K for PA website. Start Strong PA launched in 2019 to support healthy child development, working families, and the economy by increasing access to and affordability of high-quality child care programs for young children. Learn more on the Start Strong PA website. Childhood Begins At Home is a statewide campaign to help policymakers and the public understand the value of evidence-based home visiting and support public investments in the programs. Learn more on the Childhood Begins at Home website.
April 20, 2021 Start Strong PA Provider and Family Field Forums: Building a Stronger Child Care System through the American Rescue Plan Child care providers and families are invited to virtual forums to share their pandemic experiences and make recommendations for how they feel the American Rescue Plan federal dollars should be spent in Pennsylvania. About Start Strong PA is hosting virtual forums to gather feedback from child care providers and the families they serve in order to make recommendations to the Wolf Administration for how the American Rescue Plan funds should be spent. The American Rescue Plan includes $24 billion for child care stabilization, $15 billion for the Child Care Development Block Grant, and $3.55 billion in the Child Care Entitlement to States. Pennsylvania is estimated to be awarded $1.18 billion. The child care sector was in crisis before the COVID-19 pandemic, with eligible families unable to access child care subsidy, poverty-level wages for early childhood educators, and razor thin margins for providers. The child care sector has been pushed to the brink of collapse by the pandemic. Federal relief over the last year has helped many providers, however between March 2020 and February 2021, 592 Pennsylvania providers have closed permanently and 363 have temporarily closed. Child care providers are still incurring additional pandemic related costs while operating significantly under capacity. Register Allegheny County Forum | May 4, 2021 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Register Southwestern PA Forum | May 11, 2021 (Lawrence, Butler, Armstrong, Indiana, Somerset, Fayette, Greene, Washington, Beaver, and Westmoreland counties) 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Register Both forums will be held virtually via Zoom. Registration is required to receive an attendance link.
